Can't install any software or update packages (solved)

[msm]

I just installed the latest LMDE spin 64 bit, but if I try to install software from the Software Manager or via Terminal nothing happens. When trying to check the system for updates I get a long error message. Here's a shortened version of it:

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Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/debian/Release.gpg  Something wicked happened resolving 'packages.linuxmint.com:http' (-5 - No address associated with hostname) 
Failed to fetch http://debian.linuxmint.com/latest/dists/testing/Release.gpg  Something wicked happened resolving 'debian.linuxmint.com:http' (-5 - No address associated with hostname) 
Failed to fetch http://debian.linuxmint.com/latest/security/dists/testing/updates/Release.gpg  Something wicked happened resolving 'debian.linuxmint.com:http' (-5 - No address associated with hostname) 
Failed to fetch http://debian.linuxmint.com/latest/multimedia/dists/testing/Release.gpg  Something wicked happened resolving 'debian.linuxmint.com:http' (-5 - No address associated with hostname) 
Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/debian/main/binary-amd64/Packages  Something wicked happened resolving 'packages.linuxmint.com:http' (-5 - No address associated with hostname) 
Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/debian/upstream/binary-amd64/Packages  Something wicked happened resolving 'packages.linuxmint.com:http' (-5 - No address associated with hostname) 

Apparently GEdit isn't installed so I tried to do that via the Terminal, but got the following error:

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msm@ion ~ $ sudo apt-get install gedit
[sudo] password for msm: 
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
  gedit-common
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  gedit gedit-common
0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 4 not upgraded.
Need to get 3,794 kB of archives.
After this operation, 13.0 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
WARNING: The following packages cannot be authenticated!
  gedit-common gedit
Install these packages without verification [y/N]? y
Err http://debian.linuxmint.com/latest/ testing/main gedit-common all 3.2.6-1
  Something wicked happened resolving 'debian.linuxmint.com:http' (-5 - No address associated with hostname)
Err http://debian.linuxmint.com/latest/ testing/main gedit amd64 3.2.6-1
  Something wicked happened resolving 'debian.linuxmint.com:http' (-5 - No address associated with hostname)
Failed to fetch http://debian.linuxmint.com/latest/pool/main/g/gedit/gedit-common_3.2.6-1_all.deb  Something wicked happened resolving 'debian.linuxmint.com:http' (-5 - No address associated with hostname)
Failed to fetch http://debian.linuxmint.com/latest/pool/main/g/gedit/gedit_3.2.6-1_amd64.deb  Something wicked happened resolving 'debian.linuxmint.com:http' (-5 - No address associated with hostname)
E: Unable to fetch some archives, maybe run apt-get update or try with --fix-missing?

Please help me with figuring out what the issue is. I tried changing from the Main Server to another but that didn't fix the issue. I'm not sure what to do here to get it working. I've tried reinstalling LMDE but that didn't fix the problem.

[craigevil]

Post the output of

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inxi -Sr

and your /etc/resolv.conf

Are you using any type of proxy?

[msm]

I'm at work now so can't give you the input, but could it have something to do with the fact that I didn't set up swap, root, and home partitions when I installed LMDE?

The complete hard disk was unallocated space and I just chose a / for the whole disk. I didn't follow the instructions on installing LMDE: http://helpsite.org/linux-mint-debian-edition/

[HughT]

looks like you're not connected to the internet - hence 'failed to fetc from http:// etc

[squeezy]

I'm at work now so can't give you the input, but could it have something to do with the fact that I didn't set up swap, root, and home partitions when I installed LMDE?

If you have enough RAM you don't need a swap partition. I never tried running without one but I know others have. I routinely use just swap and / on my machine since I rebuild it all the time to test new installs. It's not a daily use machine so I never have any data to save so a single / partition makes for a quick, easy setup.

[msm]

looks like you're not connected to the internet - hence 'failed to fetc from http:// etc

I was connected to the internet. I was writing the initial post from the pc. I tried both wired and wireless connections and still got the error message.

[msm]

I'm at work now so can't give you the input, but could it have something to do with the fact that I didn't set up swap, root, and home partitions when I installed LMDE?

If you have enough RAM you don't need a swap partition. I never tried running without one but I know others have. I routinely use just swap and / on my machine since I rebuild it all the time to test new installs. It's not a daily use machine so I never have any data to save so a single / partition makes for a quick, easy setup.

There's currently 2GB ram installed but I may upgrade it to 4GB at some stage, so the swap should probably be set to 6-8GB?

[zerozero]

Something wicked happened resolving 'debian.linuxmint.com:http' (-5 - No address associated with hostname)

msm, this means one of two things (as craig was saying)
- you are behind a proxy
- check/change your dns

[msm]

Something wicked happened resolving 'debian.linuxmint.com:http' (-5 - No address associated with hostname)

msm, this means one of two things (as craig was saying)
- you are behind a proxy
- check/change your dns

I have LMDE installed on my laptop as well running on the same network and that doesn't give me the error message when upgrading packages. There's no proxy as far as I can see. I'll try to change the DNS to Google's when I get home.

[squeezy]

If you have enough RAM you don't need a swap partition. I never tried running without one but I know others have. I routinely use just swap and / on my machine since I rebuild it all the time to test new installs. It's not a daily use machine so I never have any data to save so a single / partition makes for a quick, easy setup.

There's currently 2GB ram installed but I may upgrade it to 4GB at some stage, so the swap should probably be set to 6-8GB?

There are a lot of theories about setting swap size. Depends on your use of the computer. I have just 3 GB RAM and use a 3 GB swap file, but I never use this machine for intense computing, just web surfing, a bit of light recording and audio work, listening to music, etc. It never even touches the swap partition.

[msm]

Inserting Google DNS in the Network Manager fixed the issue. Many thanks for the help!